Finlandia Trophy 2023: Preview, schedule and how to watch figure skating Challenger event

It was a season of resurgence last year for 24-year-old Japanese star Mihara Mai.

The figure skater made her first appearance at a World championships in six years, finishing fifth in front of home fans in Japan to cap a standout season that included three Grand Prix golds - including at the elite GP Final - and her first national podium in six years, as well.

The ethereal Mihara returns to the site of one of those wins, the Grand Prix Espoo, only this year for the ISU Challenger Series event in the Helsinki suburb of Espoo, Finland, Finlandia Trophy, set for this weekend (4-8 October 2023).

While Mihara is one of a host of familiar names set to compete, a plethora of up-and-coming youngsters are set to feature, as well.

Finlandia Trophy is the fifth of nine ISU Challenger events set for the first half of the season.

Mihara is joined in the women's event by big-jumping fellow Japanese Watanabe Rinka, as well as established skaters in Anastasiia Gubanova and Kim Yelim. Local hope Emmi Peltonen would like to give Finnish fans something to cheer for, too, while crowd favourite Josefin Taljegard will compete, too.

The men's event features a youth brigade, with reigning world junior champion Miura Kao of Japan set to skate. Fellow Japanese teen Sato Shun will also be in Espoo, as is the 2022 Junior Grand Prix Final winner, Nikolaj Memola of Italy.

Switzerland's Lukas Britschgi looks to build on his strong last season, as well, having been eighth at Worlds.

The Canadian teams of Brooke McIntosh and Benjamin Mimar as well as Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Sørensen will lead the pairs and ice dance fields, respectively.

See a full list of entrants here.

See a full schedule of events below, and find out how to watch the skating from wherever you are in the world.

Finlandia Trophy 2023: Schedule

All times listed are local Eastern European Time (+3 UTC).

Friday, 6 October

• 13:00 Pairs short program
• 15:15 Men's short program
• 18:45 Women's short program

Saturday, 7 October

• 12:00 Ice dance rhythm dance
• 13:40 Pairs free skate
• 18:15 Men's free skate

Sunday, 8 October

• 14:00 Ice dance free dance
• 15:55 Women's free skate

See a full official schedule here.

Finlandia Trophy 2023: How to watch

The event is partnering with SolidSport to provide a livestream. Find more information on the broadcast here.

The ISU provides a “where to watch” page for its international events, as well.